Phoenixville Superintendent Alan Fegley holding a Phoenixville Phantoms shirt. The school board is scheduled to vote Thursday on a new contract for Fegley that would raise his annual salary to $230,000. File Photo by Barry Taglieber

“In terms of salary, when you look at salary, we look at competing with Chester County school districts,” said board President Joshua Gould at a workshop meeting Thursday. “We did look at where Dr. Fegley fall(s) in Chester County school districts’ superintendents.”

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In the proposed contract, Fegley’s salary would be $230,000 per year with the potential to increase as much as 3.5 percent annually, per a “satisfactory” board review.

There may also be performance incentives tied to the contract, at the board’s “sole discretion,” which could be as much as 8 percent.

Gould said the contract would make Fegley the third-highest paid superintendent in Chester County. His current contract makes him the fifth-highest paid superintendent in the county.

“Personally, based on the performance of the school district and more based on the improvements that have been made since Dr. Fegley took over and the vision that he has implemented and the continuous improvements, I think a lot of that is unique and I think we have come into a leadership position in terms of how much we’re dealing with colleges and how we’re dealing with allowing students to be flexible,” Gould said. “Based on that, I think he should be the highest paid superintendent in Chester County. Unfortunately, we can’t compete with some of the bigger school districts like West Chester (Area School District).”

The current highest-paid superintendent in Chester County, according to the state’s numbers, is Tredyffrin/Easttown School District’s Daniel Waters, whose salary comes in at $246,659.80 per year. He is followed by West Chester’s James Scanlon, who earns $236,669.94 per year.

Fegley’s salary would place him just above Downingtown Area School District’s Lawrence Mussoline ($228,233.23 per year).

He also said the benefits package in Fegley’s contract would benefit the school district over his last one, with Fegley paying 12 percent of his premium for health care and a more stringent pay-out upon retirement that other contracts have not had.

“Since I’ve been on the board since 2008, I’ve seen four superintendents and I also taught for 36 years and saw about five over at Tredyffrin/Easttown (School district),” said board member Paul Slaninka. “I can say, without hesitation, that Dr. Fegley is the best out of every single one that I have dealt with, and there have been some superior superintendents ... I couldn’t be happier with Dr. Fegley’s vision and the people he has hired.”

Ken Butera, another board member, echoed Slaninka’s praise.

Slaninka indicated he was set to vote for the contract next Thursday, when a vote is expected at the Thursday night board meeting.

About the Author

Frank Otto is a general assignment reporter covering Phoenixville, Limerick and Spring-Ford schools in addition to features and spot news. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Otto moonlights with the sports department on occasion. Reach the author at fotto@pottsmerc.com
or follow Frank on Twitter: @fottojourno.